


One thing after another

by Tealshirt



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/F, F/M, M/M, Minor Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Superfamily (Marvel), but Peter isn't Spider-man, everyone still has superpowers, i'll add tags if i need to, minor Gwen Stacy/Mary Jane Watson, so i guess not everyone has superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-15 02:20:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4589355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tealshirt/pseuds/Tealshirt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter is the son Tony and Steve, Harry is his best friend, and nothing in Peter's life works out quite right, until it sort of does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is appreciated. This wasn't beta read, but I went over it for mistakes, so forgive me if there are errors.

Peter stood behind his dad, the leg of Tony's dress pants wrapped tight in the brunet's tiny fist. The boy standing across from them had large eyes-- pale and blue like the ocean-- and his hand outstretched, waiting for Peter to take it. Above them their fathers laughed and Tony bent down to take Peter's hand.

"It's okay buddy. This is Harry, Mr.Osborn's son. Can you play with him while Mr.Osborn and I take care of some work?"

Peter locked eyes with his dad and nodded shyly. His dad smiled and scooted him gently at the other boy, who took one look up and down at him and grinned.

"Come on. I have toys in my room," He said, gripping Peter's wrist as he dragged him upstairs.

Behind them he heard their parents retreating footsteps as they entered Mr.Osborn's office.

Harry led him into a large room, a big four-post bed with a canopy, and toy's spread haphazardly around. He picked up a Superman action figure, pressed it into Peter's hand and then picked up a Batman, before sitting on the floor. He looked up, blue catching brown as their eyes met, and patted the floor beside him.

"Come on, sit."

Peter nodded, and slumped, crossing his legs and holding up the action figure. Harry gave him a wide smile and the tension seeped from his tiny six year old shoulders, relaxing as the blond boy began talking, moving the doll as he did.

That was how Peter met his best friend for going on ten years, Harry Osborn.

~*

Peter slumped in his computer chair, spinning himself in a circle while Harry sat on his bed and texted someone.

"Boreddddd," He mumbled, for what must have been the hundredth time.

"Then why don't we go out and do something?" Harry asked, not as exasperated as his tone suggested. He liked just being in Peter's company. They had the kind of friendship where they could just sit in each others company for hours and not have to talk, so long as both were occupied.

"You know why."

Now he was as exasperated as his earlier tone suggested.

"I know, it's because you're ashamed of being seen with me. I know, I know."

Peter shot him a withering glare. "That's not it! I mean yes, I don't want people to see us hanging out. I don't want media attention. I've managed to stay out of the spotlight for fifteen years, and I'd rather not ruin my streak. As far as the world is concerned, Iron man and Captain America have no son."

"That amazes me still. _Why_  does no one know you exist, Petey? I mean obviously, the name, and second you like...never leave the house except for school. Which reminds me, _why_  do you go to such a crummy school?" Harry commented.

"Not this again. I've explained Harry. I like to avoid attention and by going to a _public_ school-" Peter raised his eyebrows for emphasis, "-everyone just assumes i'm like them."

 

"Fine, fine. So what do you wanna do, Pete?" Harry asked.

"We can go hang out on the roof?"

"Last time we did that your pop yelled at us."

"He's not here," Peter replied.

Harry was about to comment back when his phone beeped an he glanced down at it. A small smile lit up his features and he texted whoever it was back quickly.

"Who are you talking to?" Peter asked, knowing he was being nosy.

"Just someone. I'm gonna have to go in a bit. I've got stuff to do," Harry answered, setting his phone down beside him as he finished texting.

Peter swirled in his chair again and sighed. "Alright."

They decided they would play a round of video games, which turned into a popcorn fight when Harry used a cheat to kill Peter's character. In the end, they laid surrounded by popcorn, trying to gain back their breath after laughing so hard. Harry suddenly sat up and dusted off the popcorn, and stepped over Peter.

"Okay, I have to get going. Later Pete!"

Peter looked around at the mess and groaned. Of course Harry would leave him to clean up the popcorn. Peter grabbed a trashcan and began picking up the popcorn, making sure he got bits out of the sofa, huffing slightly.

~~*

When Peter got truly tired of just sitting in his room, staring at the ceiling in boredom he decided to call his friend Gwen.

He had been friends with Gwen since the middle of Freshmen year when she stood up for him against Flash,the school bully,who was picking on him once again. Back then it was just verbal abuse, but often lately it had become physical. In the last week Flash had tripped him, punched him in the stomach and split his lip. He tired of the pitying looks everyone gave him, even his own fathers who kept insisting they go down and speak to the school administrators, to which Peter instantly veto'd. He couldn't see that going down well.

Gwen immediately answered his text, and they decided on the movies. They didn't hang out often and Gwen had never been to his home--Stark Tower didn't seem a friendly place to invite his friends, and Harry didn't count because they came from the same back round--but he had been to Gwen's home twice.

The hardest part of actually going anywhere was trying to make it out of the tower quickly. He lived in a constant state of awareness, watching the people around him so they didn't question why awkward Peter Parker was constantly exiting the tower. Most the time that was something that could be fixed by just wearing his ID badge for when he worked in the labs with his dad and Bruce. No one suspected he was anything more than just an intern, and he liked it that way. Though, mostly he did use the entrance in the parking garage.

Gwen was standing in front of the theater doors, bundled up in a pea-coat to combat the cold of winter. She smiled when he approached, and Peter felt himself smiling back. She really was an angel as far as he was concerned.

"Come on, I'll buy," Peter said, waiting for her to follow. He got a pretty decent allowance and felt it no hardship to buy the tickets or snacks.

"No, no, Peter you don't have to-" Gwen protested.

"It's fine. I invited you out anyways. Seems only right I pay."

The lady at the ticket booth looked bored to death, tone flat and uncaring as she gave passed him the tickets.

He smiled still, and wrapped an arm around Gwen pulling her into the warmth of the theater. She let out a relieved breath and rubbed her hands together.

"So cold," She mumbled.

Peter nodded, and bought them popcorn and drinks. At this rate he was gonna meet his popcorn quota for the entire year. Though the popcorn earlier wasn't so much ate as used as ammo.

They started to walk back to their auditorium where the movie was playing in when there was a loud commotion over by the door, and paparazzi members burst through the door, shouting as camera's flashed around them.

Peter swore and ducked his head down, yanking Gwen with him. Was his secret finally out?

Gwen yelped and let Peter drag her towards an alcove, confused as they ducked into and he peeked around the corner.

"Peter?!" She asked, ripping her hand away from him.

He glanced back at her and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Gwen. They surprised me and my fight or flight kicked in."

 

Gwen huffed and peeked around the corner, following Peter's line of sight. The paparazzi parted just enough for her to see the person they were furiously taking photos of and screeching at.

"Is that Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn?" Gwen asked. Mary Jane was a classmate of theirs from Midtown, and Peter spared a moment to wonder why she was hanging out with Harry.

"Yep," Peter said. He stepped out of the alcove slightly, and Gwen heard him murmur something, before he turned back to her. "Come on, let's go in now."

She nodded and they entered the dark theater, which seemed to be mostly empty--not surprising as it was a Sunday-- and took seats right in the middle. The doors opened again and Peter's eyes shot to where Harry was going up the theater steps, laughing at something the girl trailing along behind him had said.

They took a seat behind Gwen and himself and he huffed, resigned to hear his best friend flirt relentlessly. Gwen tensed slightly beside him and then relaxed, exhaling softly. Peter smiled over at her in a friendly manner, and then turned to watch the screen as the movie started up.

Behind them Mary Jane laughed and whispered--not much of a whisper if Peter could hear it really--, "So why were you taking so long to text me back earlier?"

"I was hanging out with my friend Peter," Harry answered honestly.

Peter's tensed then, waiting for Harry to say something else. The other boy left it at that though. Peter turned his attention to the movie and refused to acknowledge that his best friend was sitting right behind him.

When the movie was over and the auditorium lights came on, Peter held onto Gwen's arm and sat with his head handing down until Harry and Mary Jane had exited.

"Why do you care if Mary Jane sees us?" She asked. Her eyes lit up and and she smirked for a second.

Peter took back his statement from earlier. Gwen was not an angel; She was evil, and far too smart for her own good if she noticed something was wrong with him.

"Do you like MJ?" She asked.

Well...she was wrong about that at least.

 

"Nope, that is so not it."

He stood and offered her his arm, and they made their way out of the theater and out into the freezing New York street.

"Then what is it?"

Peter glowered down at her and continued walking, holding out a hand for a cab and pushing her in when one stopped at the curb.

"Please don't push the issue, Gwen," He asked sincerely. He really didn't wanna lie to her. And no, he wasn't lying to her now, he was just...omitting the truth.

She sighed but said a soft, "Fine." And dropped the issue. Internally Peter cheered, and glanced out the window, watching the scenery move past as they got closer to Gwen's home. He didn't like letting her walk home by herself, and the theater they had went to was stationed on the other side of the tower, so they had to drive past.

As they whooshed by the gleaming tower, lights shining down, he looked to the very top, taking note that the light in the common's was on.

"It's so cool isn't it?" Gwen asked, warm breath tickling his ear. He jumped and turned to look at her.

"What is?"

"Stark Tower. Imagine living there. Imagine the view. I mean it's even taller than the Osborn tower."

Peter snorted, barely catching himself from saying, ' Don't have to imagine it, I do live there.' Instead he said, "It's only taller by like five floors."

Gwen pouted. "I know that, I mean, I'm an intern at Oscorp."

Peter flushed remembering that detail. "Oh yeah. Well you can trust me. They aren't that different."

Peter would know. He'd been to Oscorp tons of times with his dad.

"How would you know?" Gwen scoffed.

Peter rolled his eyes and dug into his pocket, finding his ID badge. He pulled it out and handed it to her, raising his eyebrows.

Gwen laughed and handed him back his ID. "I didn't know you interned at Stark."

"It's a new thing," Peter replied. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at the window, realizing they were almost to Gwen's apartment building.

The driver stopped beside the curb and Peter crawled out, holding the door open for Gwen to slide out. She smiled at him and gave him a big hug.

"I had nice time. Text me when you wanna do it again!"

He nodded and watched her enter the building, and paid their driver. He then started his walk back to the tower.

~~~*

When the elevator doors for the commons room slid open Peter stepped out, and was then forced to duck as a television remote was hurled his way. He looked at the couch where Clint was standing on the back of the couch, Natasha was sitting in the arm chair, arm raised--It was probably her that had thrown the remote-- and his parents were cuddled up on the love seat. He waved at them on his way to the kitchen area. Bruce was standing in front of the stove using a whisk to stir something.

"Whatcha making?" Peter asked, sidling up beside him.

The man turned and looked at him over his glasses and grinned. Peter definitely took that as a bad sign.

"Just a recipe that I found online...."

Peter cringed. It was either gonna be really good or really, _really_  bad. He got a drink out of the fridge and grinned.

"Can't wait!" He managed as cheerfully as he could.

There was a loud crash from the living room. Peter and Bruce stepped back so they could see in. Steve was standing over Clint, Natasha wrapped around his face like an octopus as he struggled to remove her. Tony was still sat on the love seat, though now he was cackling madly as he watched the events in front of him unfold.

Peter sighed and went and sat down at the bar, causing Bruce to look over at him. The short brunet set down his spatula and leaned on the counter in front of him.

The thing about Bruce was that he had the uncanny ability to make Peter want to admit everything that was wrong with a single look. Peter avoided his knowing gaze as long as he could, but Bruce always got him.

Peter stared resolutely down at the counter, feeling Bruce's burning gaze study him. He didn't look up, kept playing with his drink, not willing to break.

But Bruce just sighed, and renewed his gaze, sliding a hand over towards him and placing a hand over Peter's. That was it. He broke.

"Do you ever wish you were someone different?"

"Yes," Bruce answered honestly.

Peter tilted his head up and Bruce gave him an encouraging smile. "Right after my...after the other guy happened, all I could ask was 'Why?, Why me?" His smile changed to a self deprecating one.

Peter waited for him to continue. He could hear the other Avengers in the living room arguing still.

"But I've come to realize that...if the other guy hadn't of happened, I wouldn't be _me_  now. The guy who loves trying new recipes, and yoga, and helps save the world every other week," He added.

He squeezed Peter's hand and stepped back to the stove, whistling as he went. He certainly didn't realize what he'd left Peter to think about.

~~~~*

Peter had to make a mad dash to get to school the next morning. Probably a disadvantage of living with the Avengers is that they all kept weird ass hours, which often involved being awake until the early hours of the morning.

Sometime around one he'd finally bid everyone goodnight and went to bed, exhausted. Of course he kept hitting the snooze on his alarm until Clint had jumped in the middle of him successfully waking up him and making him fall from the bed. Sometimes he hated his family.

He rushed in to the school, skidding to a stop before he crashed into his locker. He grabbed his stuff for English and hauled ass to make it in time, right before the bell chimed.

Panting a little he sat down, trying to ease the burning in his lungs. He definitely needed to do more cardio. His pop could probably run laps on him, and he was ninety-seven.

The teacher raised a questioning brow at him but otherwise left it alone. Peter was immensely grateful and kept his head down for the rest of class. Well...rest of the morning.

His good luck streak ended at lunch when he found Flash, standing over a Freshman, people grouped around them, and beating relentlessly on the poor kid who was curled up.

Now Peter would not consider himself a brave person. He just considered himself a good person. Pop had taught him his philosophy on bullies after all.

"Flash leave him alone!" Peter yelled, stepping to the front of the circle.

Flash turned his scowl on him, and then kicked the kid again, right in the stomach. The kid grimaced, tears sliding down his face as he tightened into a ball.

"Eugene! Leave. Him. Alone!" He shouted, gripping Flash's shoulder.

He really should have expected the fist that came flying at his face. His glasses flew off his face and he was knocked back, and out of the corner of his very fuzzy vision he saw the freshman jumping to his feet and taking off into the crowd. He smiled briefly, but stopped when another punch collided with his cheekbone.

"What do you think you're doing Parker? You don't have any friends here remember?"

Peter shook his head, glancing Gwen, who looked ready to pounce. He shook his head at her and held up hand, shifting to his hands and knees. Flash got a kick at his stomach and leered over him, leaning down so he was closer to Peter to hear. He heard a crunch and spared a brief thought to his glasses.

"You don't have anyone do you? I bet no one knew that did they? That geeky little Parker here is adopted," Flash yelled, his voice getting louder. Peter wasn't sure how Flash even knew he was adopted. Files like that should be kept in the office, along with who he was adopted  _by._

Peter coughed and glared up at Flash, gritting his teeth. He stood up, shaking like a new born deer.

"Yeah...Yeah I am. So what? I was adopted by people who love me. My dad's love me!" Peter shouted, vision swimming slightly. He really hoped he didn't have concussion.

Flash's face shifted for several seconds and then he began laughing. Peter was hesitant to ask why.

"What-What-" He started.

Flash bent low and full body laughed. "Dads? Your parent's are gay? Ha! They probably made you gay too! You're gay aren't you Parker!? Everyone know's gay people can't raise ki-"

Flash rolled in agony on the ground, Peter standing over him, knuckles bloody.

"Don't you ever say a fucking thing about my parents ever again," Peter spit, venom in his tone.

He fell back, landing on his back. The faces around him were taking on a morphed look, and the entire world seemed to be spinning like he was on a teacup ride. He closed his eyes and tried not vomit.

He heard teachers shouting and groaned, heard them march over and help Flash off the ground, one of them carting him to the nurse. Another leaned over him, and when Peter blinked his eyes open he realized it wasn't just a teacher but the principal, who was pale and terrified looking.

Peter reached up a hand and grabbed hers. "It's fine. They won't be mad. Promise."

The school principal--who had accepted him into the school in the first place, even willing to double up security for him-- was probably the only person who knew who his parents were at the school. The files were locked up tight in her office, and though she had never met with his _parents_  she had met Pepper and she was probably as terrifying as any of the Avengers.

Mrs. Sanders helped him get to his feet, an arm around his torso to support him. His knees nearly buckled and his head was pounding but he managed to walk with her to the nurses office.

The nurse looked between the tall blonde with an ice pack on his face, one eye already swelling shut, and Peter, whose lip was split (Again. Dammit Flash.), had bruises forming, and was holding onto his stomach, and tutted at them.

She cleaned him up, and gave him an ice pack too. When they were both as patched up as they could get, Mrs. Sanders led them into the office. An assistant principal was leaning against his desk, looking thoroughly displeased with them.

"Right. Both your parent's have been called."

Peter sighed. No telling who'd they'd send instead. Flash was sitting in the office chair beside him, picking at a hole in his jeans and ignoring everyone. There was a knock at the door, and it slid open to reveal a tall brunette woman. She looked pissed, eyes locked on Flash. They shared similar features, their eyes and noses almost exact. She marched in and took a seat next to her son.

They waited fifteen more minutes, each second ticking by on the clock feeling like forever. There was another knock on the door, and Peter heard the voice before he saw the face.

Happy stood at the door, smiling down at Peter and waving his hands at the secretary outside. He looked around at the other adults, with their scowling faces and his smile dropped.

"Now that everyone is here. I'm Mr. Clark the assistant principal," He held out a hand for Flash's mother who nodded.

"Sonny Thompson."

He looked at Happy, hand held out. Happy looked at his face and then back at his hand.

"Huh? Oh sorry. Happy Hogan. I'm not exactly Peter's father, but i'm on his emergency contact info," Happy stepped forward and shook the man's hand.

The man frowned but continued anyways.

"The boy's here, are in trouble for fighting. Now seeing as Flash started it he will be receiving a three days suspension followed by a week of detentions. Peter you-"

"I was defending my parents! If he hadn't said my dad's weren't fit to raise a child-"

"He said what?" Happy interrupted. He glared at the blond boy to Peter's right. "Does he even know who your parents are?"

Peter gave Happy a pleading look, begging him to stop talking, but Happy looked ready to continue.

"Happy! Stop!" Peter yelped, covering his mouth. Happy's eyes widened and he looked apologetic, shaking Peter's hand off.

"Sorry kid. Forgot."

Everyone else in the room had taken on a semi-confused vibe and Peter cleared his throat to get things back on track.

"What's my punishment?"

"Yes. A week's detention."

Peter nodded and they filled paperwork.

They stood up to leave and Sonny wrapped her arm around Flash, whisking him away, barely waiting until they were out earshot before she began complaining. Happy gave Peter a grin and led him to his locker to grab his stuff.

"Come on. I'll sign you out for today."

Out in the parking lot Happy gave him the choice on if he wanted to sit in the back or in the front seat with him. Peter chose the front, not wanting to be alone in the back. Happy  opened the door and let Peter slide into the passenger side.

"I'm kinda surprised they didn't come themselves," Peter said, laughing slightly. Happy sat stone faced, looking at him. The divider window between the back and front slowly slid down and his dad poked his head through.

"Oh,we did. We just stayed in the car. Now turn around and let me see your face."

Peter groaned into his hands and tilted his head up towards the ceiling.

 

    ~~~*

His parents had a tendency to coddle him. Pop kept offering to make him food, and his dad was threatening to show up at Flash's house in the Iron Man suit. He accepted the ice pack for his face and sat down at the table, watching them frantically rush around talking loudly.

"You guys it's not a big deal!" Peter asserted.

Both is parents gave him a look but continued talking. Peter decided a trip to lab was in order. Going to the lab always made him feel better.

He could hear faint typing from the other side of the room and he followed the sound. Bruce looked up from the computer and smiled at him. He waved and Bruce's nose wrinkled when he saw the ice pack.

"What happened to you?"

Peter sighed and squinted at the words on the computer monitor above Bruce.

"Got in a fight," He breathed.

Bruce nodded and waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention (And wow, has his vision gotten that bad without his glasses or is everything else that fuzzy and unfocused for another reason?), waiting for Peter to look at him.

"Who was it?"

The brunet took a seat in a chair and leaned his head on his hand. "Flash."

"Who started it?" Bruce asked, turning back to his work. He began typing again, but was obviously still listening.

"Flash was picking on another kid and I stepped in to try and get him to stop--or you know, just give the other kid time to get away--and he punched me. Then he started saying some...awful things about me and I...I hit him back," Peter explained.

Bruce nodded, gave him a glance over his shoulder. He scooted his chair until it was beside Peter's, still giving him sad look. "You know what ever he said to you isn't true."

Peter snorted. "Some of it's at least a little bit true."

Bruce raised his eyebrows but dropped the subject, demanding Peter come help him if he wasn't too badly injured. Peter smiled and threw his ice pack on the counter and sat down beside him.

   ~~~~*

The next day at school was a blessed break from Flash, considering the other boy had been suspended for three days. Peter didn't get hit once. Instead he just got every name under the sun thrown at him. A kid in his first period English called him a 'Fairy'. One of the cheerleaders walked by him in the hall and called him a 'geek' (like he hadn't heard that one before; Besides, liking science didn't make him a geek). The only break he got was when Gwen-- sweet, sweet Gwen-- sat down beside him at lunch.

"Hey," She greeted. She picked up her wrap then and began eating, leaving Peter feeling very confused.

"Um Gwen? No offense, but why are you sitting with me?" He asked, staring around at the other tables. He spotted her usual table watching her with scowls on their faces.

"My table is being rude. Plus, this is the first time I've seen you actually eat here all year. Usually you just hide in the library, don't you?"

Peter gazed down at his food. "Usually," He answered.

~~~*

They walked towards their next class together, and the names and things being said at Peter stopped. He was thankful.

Until they started up in the form of countless notes being tossed at him. Gwen sat in front of him so she wasn't seeing them come flying at him from his right, his left, and some from the back, hitting him the head. He sighed and tucked them all onto the corner of his desk, not even bothering to find out who was doing it.

When class ended he had a large stack on his desk, and Gwen was giving him a pitying glance, one that made his stomach churn in slight anger. He hated that look.

It's the same look he got either of his parents went on a mission, and he was left wondering if they were ever gonna come back.

He dumped all the notes in the trash and walked out with his head held high, straight to his locker to get his things for his last class.

The notes kept happening during his last hour, only it was a mix of both people whispering about him and notes being tossed at his desk. The blonde sitting beside him was leaned away from him but it didn't stop him from hearing the word 'fag' fall out of her mouth several times during the class period. By the end of the class his knuckles were white, and the hand he had punched Flash with was bleeding. He gathered up his things and left, heading for the detention room.

The teacher that was running the detentions was running late, and Peter took it as an opportunity to use his phone before he was told to turn it off. His first text was to Gwen, thanking her for sitting with him at lunch. Then he sent a text to Harry to see if he would be free.

He wasn't expecting much from the latter considering how busy Harry seemed to be schmoozing Mary Jane Watson. Their faces had been plastered all over the newspaper, everyone saying they were dating (and heck, Peter didn't know, maybe they were) or speculating who she was, who her parents were. Because that was what the media wanted to know. If she came from a wealthy background, because obviously Harry would never speak to her if she wasn't (That's definitely what they thought). It was the major reason Peter didn't like doing stuff in public with Harry. First they would speculate, and then they would dig, and then suddenly everyone _knows_  who he is. Not only would it be a major security breach for him, and he would probably have to change schools but it also meant no more just walking around freely. Peter liked his freedom.

The teacher stormed into the room, throwing his things on the desk like he a personal vendetta against it, and scaring everyone in the classroom. Peter jumped and tucked his phone away, while the teacher began giving them instructions to start doing _some_  kind of work.

He pulled out his Physics work and began working on it, when he felt his phone vibrate. The teacher was steadily ignoring them--headphones in, and reading-- so he decided to take a chance to text back.

He was surprised. The text was from Harry and he was asking what he wanted to do. He text the other boy back quickly, and they settled on hanging out at Harry's.

One thing Peter was not good at was being sneaky. As evidenced by the fact that'd he'd _never_  gotten away with anything as a child, and that he _still_  never got away with anything.

The teacher had ripped his phone away from him mid-sentence, huffing an annoyed sigh. He felt kind of bad; They were just doing their job after all. He felt less bad when the teacher glanced down at his open messages, where he was currently trying to refuse Harry's offer to send his driver to pick him up, protesting that he would get Happy to drop him off. The teacher raised his bushy eyebrow and marched back to his desk and placed his phone in the corner of the desk.

"You'll get this back at the end of class Mr. Parker," The man said, voice slightly smug.

Peter grumbled. He hadn't even got to send his message, though he figured it could wait. There was only twenty minutes until detention was over.

~~~*

He walked out of the detention classroom, roughly being pushed as people shoved around him. Harry hadn't text him again and he quickly sent the message from earlier--with an apology as he had his phone taken-- when Harry text him.

**-Did you want me to pull up to the school or stay down the block?**

So he was already here. Well that was fine with Peter. It would take longer for Happy to arrive anyways. He thought about just telling Harry to stay down the block but he really didn't feel like walking even that far, and it was after school anyways. No one was gonna see him.

He walked outside and stood leaning up against the building, waiting in the same parking lot Happy had parked in the day before. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a large group of students come waltzing out of the building, talking loudly. He ducked his head, and hoped they would move on, but not fast enough apparently, because suddenly Gwen was standing beside him. She had someone standing beside her too, and he realized it was Mary Jane. 

"Peter! You know MJ right?" Gwen asked.

Peter nodded and stuck out his hand stiffly. "Peter Parker."

Mary Jane offered him a friendly smile.

"We're just about to go get some pizza with the debate team. You wanna come?"

"Sorry, Gwen. I'm hanging out with a friend. He should actually-"

A car horn honked out in front of them, and Peter recognized the stiffly dressed chauffeur that got out and walked around to the side door, waiting.

"That's him. I should go," He gave them both smiles and ran down the steps, feeling their gazes on him. The door was held open and Peter practically threw himself into the vehicle, huffing.

Hands placed along his arms shoved him to the other side of the car, and when he raised his eyes Harry was scowling, sunglasses askew.

"Sorry. Strategic retreat," Peter giggled.

Harry leaned so he was hovering over Peter's lap and staring out the window.

"From who? Who's the blonde and the redhead Petey?" Harry purred, one eyebrow tilted over his sunglasses.

"The blonde is Gwen, you know who the redhead is,  _Har_ ," Peter answered, not willing to play the game Harry was encouraging.

"So you saw the papers?" He sat back into his spot and watched Peter.

"And the news, and the internet articles, and the trending lists on Twitter, and _you guys on a date at the movies_ ," He remarked. He knew he sounded snippy about it, and really he didn't care who Harry was dating, he just wanted to know why the other boy hadn't told him.

"You were at the movies? With who?" Harry made a face like he had suddenly seen something amazing, "Wait! You were sitting in front of us! You and blondie!"

"Her name's Gwen, and yes we were."

Harry laughed and patted him on the shoulder, and then changed the topic of the conversation.

                      ~~~*

They were sitting on the couch watching a movie, Peter's head in Harry's lap, slightly dozing. They had argued on what film to watch until they decided on Superman. Harry was rubbing Peter's head, making comments every so often which Peter halfheartedly replied to.

 

"I wish my parents were superheroes," Harry whispered.

Peter cracked his eyes open and looked up at Harry. The other boy's face was sad.

"You really shouldn't. Having heroes for parents sucks," Peter muttered. He reached up and gripped Harry's hand in his, bringing it until his palm was hovering above Peter's face, and tracing his fingers along it. It was something they had done forever--since they were little kids-- and hadn't managed to grow out of, as it comforted them both in times of distress.

Harry sat silent above him, letting his hand be traced. Peter didn't know what he was thinking but it was probably about his own father. Norman Osborn wasn't a very good parent. He ignored Harry a lot of the time, or was always away on business trips, and when he was home, and actually acknowledging Harry, he was belittling the boy. No, Norman Osborn was a bully, and Peter didn't like bullies.

The movie played in the background but neither of them were paying attention to it. Harry was slowly falling asleep and even Peter could feel his eyes beginning to slide shut. In there half asleep states they didn't notice knocking at the door until the person had already entered. Peter sat up, nearly ramming his forehead into Harry's jaw when he sat up suddenly too. One of the Osborn's employee's stood in front of them, waiting.

"Yes?" Harry asked. He was using what Peter had dubbed his 'spoiled rich kid voice'. Peter elbowed him and the other boy yelped and jumped.

"Your father wishes to speak to you, Mister Osborn," The man responded.

Harry nodded and stood dusting off his pants. "Okay, I will be right back."

Peter glanced the man and he turned to Peter stiffly. "Will you be staying for dinner, Mister Parker?"

Peter checked the time on his phone and realized it was nearly eight. He should probably be heading home. "No. I should probably be getting home. I'll call Happy."

The man bowed--honestly bowed to him-- and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

Peter pulled out his phone and texted to ask if Happy would mind picking him up. He got up and started looking for his shoes. Hopefully Harry would come back before Happy arrived.

Fifteen minutes later he was sitting on the couch again, playing a game on his phone. He was fighting sleep, still holding his phone up over his face just barely. Harry's bedroom door crashed open and the other boy stomped through, face red and cursing. Peter sat up and hesitantly looked over the back of the couch towards the bed where Harry was currently pacing and still cursing away.

"Um...Har? What happened?" Peter asked. He slowly got up off the couch and walked around to lean against the back of it.

Harry jumped and spun around to face him. "Fuck! Peter you scared me. I thought you already left."

"No...Happy's on his way. What happened?" He asked again.

Harry chewed his lip like he was debating telling Peter something but he shook his head and sat on the bed.

"Nothing. Just my dad being a dick again," He said. His voice held and edge to it like he was getting ready to cry and Peter fast walked towards his best friend and pulled him into a hug.

"It's okay buddy."

He rubbed his hands up and down Harry's back and waited until his shuddering breaths turned even. Peter felt his phone vibrate so he pulled it out of his pocket, still running his hands up and down the blond's back.

"Are you gonna be alright here or do you wanna spend the night at mine?"

Harry exhaled and thought it over for a second. "I think i'll be fine here. But you wanna hang out again tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure. We can go to mine tomorrow," Peter said, "Though you'll have to remember I have detention right after school."

"Okay."

Peter gave the other boy one last tight hug and stood, grabbing his backpack. He walked outside and crawled in the car, giving Happy a reassuring grin. He felt bad leaving Harry to deal with...whatever it was he was dealing with. His dad must have said something that upset him.

Happy gave him a quick goodbye when they arrived, watching Peter until he got in the elevator in the parking garage and went up. He still had to do his homework, but he went and got a quick snack from the kitchen first and then up to his room. He wrote part of his essay for English, and showered fast, all while still wondering what Norman could have said to make Harry so upset. Maybe Harry would tell him when they saw each other again.

 

~~~*

It seemed the student bullies at Midtown were getting braver. He'd been pushed into a wall as soon as he entered the building, and promptly smacked his elbow hard enough to make his entire arm tingle. There was most definitely gonna be a bruise there.

He scowled at the small crowd that was walking past him, giggling the whole way. He could still hear them calling him names; Apparently they'd graduated up from saying it under their breath and were calling them right to his face now.

He could have dealt with the names being thrown his way if he wasn't still getting enough notes to keep the US Postal service busy for a week. Every class he was being bombarded with notes, and after each class he tossed them in the trash. And he _thought_  he would be chalk free with Flash gone for three days.

At lunch Gwen sat with him again, and he actually managed to hold up a decent conversation for the first half, until she brought up his 'Friend' (Why are you doing air quotes around Friend? He's actually my friend!) despite his unwillingness to talk about it.

"So...who is he?" Gwen asked, dangerous glint in her eye.

Peter chewed his food thoughtfully and swallowed, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. She was watching him with an almost predatory look. It made him nervous. He shifted in his seat and stuffed his mouth with more food, ignoring her.

Just as swallowed his next bite, Gwen reached down and pinched his elbow, his _bruised_  elbow. He will deny squeaking like an injured animal and nearly falling off his seat until he is on his deathbed.

"Ow! Don't pinch me!" He yelped, catching the attention of the groups seated around them.

He looked around self-consciously and rubbed his arm, glaring down at Gwen. She was smirking mischievously, and made a pinching motion with her fingers when she caught his eye.

"Fine. He's just a kid I've been friends with since we were both little. Our dads worked together for a bit," He said. Not lying, just omitting the entirety of the story. Like that their dad's owned two huge multi-billionaire dollar companies.

He thought that telling Gwen what she wanted to know would wipe the smirk off her face, but if anything it just got bigger. She raised her eyebrow at him in a non-believing manner.

"Can you stop grilling me please? I'd like to eat my lunch in peace."

Gwen pouted. "Can you blame me? You know pretty much everything about me, and I barely know anything about you Peter. You've really got the whole 'mysterious' vibe going."

"Do not."

"Do so," She fired back. "It's just...I thought we we're pretty close friends. You've met my parents and I don't even know your parents names."

Peter pushed his food around on his plate. She was right of course, and Peter hated it. But they were close friends. Maybe he could invite her over? She was trustworthy.

He chewed his lip in thought. "Fine. Do you wanna come over for dinner tomorrow night? My parents probably won't mind. If they're in town that is...," Peter added as an afterthought.

Gwen's answering smile could light the entirety of New York City. She nodded her head frantically.

Peter smiled at having made his friend so happy. "Okay. I should probably tell you some preliminary stuff so your not shocked. But...," Peter glanced around, "-Not here. Come on," He made sure she was following him and they went up a mostly empty hallway and sat. Gwen was still eating her lunch, but Peter was playing with his food trying to think of things to say.

"My parent's....They aren't normal. They won't expect you to dress fancy. You could come in sweatpants and they honestly wouldn't give a shit. Oh yeah, my parnets friends are probably gonna be there. Well...most of them. One of them is always commuting back and forth between our home and his... Business trips I guess you could say."

Gwen nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"They may seem weird or-or crazy, but I promise, they are perfectly fine. My Pop will probably squish you if he hugs you--so sorry about that in advance-- and my dad may make a joke or two but he's really harmless. Um...," He looked over at her, "Also what i'm about to tell you stays between us. Like literally you can't tell _anyone_."

Gwen nodded frantically again, clearly more interested in what he was about to say then finishing her lunch.

Peter looked up and down the hallway, making sure that it was actually empty. He inhaled deeply and leaned towards Gwen.

"My dad is Tony Stark."

Gwen's eyes widened and she let out the beginning of a shriek, which Peter quickly muffled with his hand.

"Please, don't do that," He whispered. She nodded and he took his hand away, waiting for her to say something. She punched his arm- _his bruised arm, dammit_ \- and scowled at him.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner!? Wait this actually explains so much! Oh my gosh!"

Peter nodded, and let her go through her own list of 'Why Peter Acted  Like He Did.' as she had dubbed it. The rest of lunch was spent with her having a small freak out, but Peter felt relieved. It was nice to let people in, to finally let someone know the secret he had been sitting on for a very long time.

        ~~*

Peter decided that instead of taking the subway to go home he would have Happy pick him. He figured that after yesterday, and the all the close calls he gotten lately, that he was definitely pushing his luck but he couldn't help it. Taking the subway sounded like the last thing he wanted to do. Happy pulled up at the curb beside him and Peter crawled in, tired from his long day of school.

"Rough day kid?" Happy asked.

"Something like that. Dad and Pop home?"

Happy shook his head. "Fury called them in. Something about a giant squid terrorizing San Francisco," He said. "You can probably learn more about it later on the news."

Peter nodded and laid down in the back, ready to let sleep take him.

~~~~~*

Harry was already there when he arrived. He was sat on Peter's bed, flipping through the channels. Peter face-planted onto the mattress beside him, groaning.

"Sup dude," Harry said.

Peter grumbled and turned his head to the side, to look at Harry. " 'm tired, my stomach and arm hurt from getting the shit kicked out of me, and my eyes are burning from my contacts that I have to wear while I wait for my new glasses to come in."

Harry huffed a quiet laugh, and placed his hand on Peter's head, ruffling his hair. But he didn't move it, instead he kept it on the brunet's head, running his fingers through his locks. Peter hummed and relaxed, knowing he was dozing but not really caring. He heard Harry set the remote down, and then felt the other boy wrap around him like an octopus. It was familiar, having Harry clinging to him. They'd fallen asleep like this many times - mostly after one had a particularly bad day. Each year on the anniversary of Peter's birth parents, or Harry's mom, passing's they would pick a home, and spend the night watching crap films and sat close to each other, just enjoying the silence.

~~~~~*

Someone was patiently rapping on a door, drawing Peter from his slumber. He blinked his bleary eyes open and surveyed his room, not finding anyone. He smacked his lips together and hugged whoever was next to him closer to his body and closed his eyes again.

Someone cleared their throat and his eyes shot open again and he jolted, careful not to sit up and throw off the person using him as a life-size teddy.

"Thor! Warning!"

"I did not mean to upset you Peter. I was sent to retrieve you for supper," Thor said. He was giving Peter his sad eyes, and looked almost like a golden retriever.

"It's okay. We'll be down in a few," Peter said, smiling at Thor politely. The Asgardian nodded and left the room, shutting the door softly.

"Is he gone?" Came the muffled voice from his chest.

"Were you awake the whole time?" Peter asked, stretching his limbs and getting ready to sit up.

Harry squeezed him closer and buried his face into Peter shoulder before he let him sit up. "Only when you tried to jump up. Scared me awake."

"Sorry. You hungry?" Peter asked getting out of the bed. He looked over his shoulder at the other boy, who was being strangely silent -even for just waking up. Harry was sitting on the bed with his legs folded underneath him, but what really made Peter grin was that his eyes were closed and he was swaying side to side slightly. Not to mention his hair, which was sticking straight up, rumpled by the bed.

Peter laughed loudly and Harry's eyes cracked open slightly, just enough to send the other boy a glare. He moved off the bed, holding up his middle finger at Peter as he shuffled to the en suite.

"That's rude," Peter shouted at him.

"Deal with it Parker!" He shouted back.

Everyone was sitting at the table when they finally made it down to dinner, and the only two seats were left between Bruce and Natasha. Peter took the seat next to Natasha and let Harry have the seat next to Bruce. The team looked a little beat up after their fight earlier in the day, but they were all in good spirits.

Dinner with the Avengers went wild fast. Halfway through the meal Clint threw a large glob of mashed potatoes at Thor, and he retaliated by throwing the peas - the _entire_ bowl of peas- at Clint

They spent most of dinner ducking as food was thrown across the table. Of course once it was over, Steve made them clean it up, ushering everyone else into the living room for a movie.

Peter and Harry claimed the corner of the half-square couch shaped couch, Steve and Tony stretched out over the rest of it. Natasha was sat in the arm chair, sitting on her feet. Bruce had opted to sit in the floor, head leaning back against the sofa, semi-dozing throughout the film. Thor and Clint could be heard in the dining room, loudly arguing followed by a squeak--presumably from Clint-- while they cleaned.

 

Harry had his head resting on Peter's shoulder, his eyes flicking back-and-forth between open and watching, and closed, fighting sleep. When the film credits rolled everyone began getting up to go to bed. Peter carefully shook the boy asleep on his shoulder, watching as bright blue eyes sprung open.

"Do you wanna stay the night? It's kinda late and we can just have Happy drop you off at yours in the morning or you can just get your uniform dropped off here?"

Harry nodded, though Peter wasn't sure to which. His eyes were bloodshot and he still looked very disoriented.

"You know what. You don't get the option. You look wrecked, Har."

He led the blond up to his room, and they got ready for bed silently. Harry threw back the covers on the bed and let himself fall forwards onto it. It was an entertaining sight; He was usually so well mannered and laid back about everything.

Peter crawled into the other side of the bed and pulled the covers up over them both. He reached over an shut off the bedside lamp, launching the room into darkness, except for the bits of light darting in through spaces where Peter's curtains were.

This high in the sky--combined with the wonderful soundproofing the tower offered-- you couldn't hear any sounds of the city below, despite it's constant bustling activity. Sometimes Peter would sit in front of the window and stare down at the people below. Tonight, he stared at the boy in front of him as he slowly let himself slip into unconsciousness.

 

~~~*

His alarm began blaring Queen at five forty, making both him and Harry jump and roll from the bed onto the floor. He owned a King sized bed, and somehow they both managed to hit the floor. It might have helped if they hadn't have been wrapped around each other again. More often than not, both of them gravitated towards the other person in their sleep.

"Peter you're laying on my arm," Harry grunted.

"Your knee is in my stomach," Peter huffed.

"Here just roll us-no the other way-ouch! Dammit why are you so bony!"

"Sorry, sorry, here let me- the blanket is still around my foo- Fuck!" Peter crashed to the floor, landing on his face.

"Ow."

Harry giggled but offered him a hand to help him up. His nose was sore, and if he was lucky it wouldn't bruise too badly. He'd managed to not break it.

They each took turns using the bathroom while they got ready. Harry made Peter hold the hairdryer while he worked the comb, styling his hair into his usual neat look. Peter put some product in his hair, ran his hands through it and called it good. It made Harry roll his eyes and smile which was an added bonus.

Someone had dropped off a uniform for the blond and once he was in it--shirt tucked into pants, blazer and his sunglasses on his face-- he was ready to go. He looked like he'd been asked to model for Prada, and Peter didn't wanna admit he might be jealous of Harry's ability to make even a school uniform look nice.

"Come on. Happy will drop us off."

"You sure? Don't you wanna take the subway or something?" Harry asked, swinging his backpack up on his shoulder.

"Ha-ha. Yes i'm sure. Now get your ass to the car, rich boy," Peter said, swatting Harry.

"Hey, you're a rich boy too. You get _your_  ass to the car."

Peter smiled mischievously. "Race you."

"You're on," Harry said, and he took off running.

Of course, Peter won - if only because he had the advantage in the leg department.

"You...suck," Harry panted, leaning against the car.

Peter cackled and got in the car.

~~~*

Harry hugged him goodbye and fast-walked inside his school. They were caught behind a limo in the line, and another simple car like the one Peter used to take him around.

"What'ta ya think Happy? We gonna make it?"

"Yeah. You want me to drop you off a block away?" His driver-bodyguard asked.

"If you will, Hap."

Happy hummed in agreement and turned the car, slowly heading toward Midtown High. He pulled up next to a curb a block from the school--just like he said he would-- and Peter got out. He had about ten minutes to make it to the school on time, but he could do it.

He saw that there was some other kids walking-a group of four. Two large boys, who Peter recalled being on the football team because he had photographed them for yearbook, a short brunet male, and a lanky red-head female.

He made sure he had all his things before shutting the door and beginning his walk. He noticed Happy didn't drive off yet, and was about to turn around and wave to say he could go when he was tripped. For the second time that morning, Peter's face was smashed into the ground, and by some miracle, it still didn't break. No, it didn't break, it just began to gush blood profusely.

He heard the female laughing and looked up. She was standing over him with one foot out stuck and giggling.

"Oops," She said, with a tone to her voice Peter could only describe as bitchy, "Sorry. I'm such a klutz."

He heard a car door slam from somewhere behind him. "Fuck," He cursed softly, under his breath.

He felt hands helping him stand and the girl let out an annoyed protest. The two football players were helping him stand up and the short brunet handed him a some kleenex to press against his nose.

"Thank you," Peter said, pressing the tissue to his nose. Happy cleared his throat behind them and Peter spun to face him.

"I'm fine," He exclaimed.

"Good. I don't feel like explaining to your parents how you broke your nose," Happy then turned to the redhead, "And you! What gives you the right to go around tripping people? Keep that up and you might just trip the wrong person."

The girl rolled her eyes and locked her jaw, ignoring what he had just said.

"Your gonna be okay? I can take you down the rest of the way to school-"

"No!" Peter shouted. He glanced around at the boys around him, who looked surprised at his outburst. "I promise, i'll call if I need anything."

"Alright," Happy said finally. He glanced down at his watch and grimaced. "Your dad is gonna me kill me though if I make him late for his meeting. Gotta go squirt."

Peter groaned and watched Happy trek back to the car and slide in, start it and drive away. He forgot he wasn't alone for a moment, and stared at the group surrounding him.

"Um...Thank you guys for helping me up. And thanks for the tissues," He said. He gave them a grin, and turned around, recalling that he had less than five minutes to get a block to school, inside, and to his class.

He could hear the three boys behind him talking, but the girl stayed quiet, while they chatted--probably angry at them for being good people and _not_  tripping him like an asshole.

He slid into his first class with thirty seconds to spare and sat down, getting out his materials. The class was silent and when Peter spared a glance around he realize they were all staring at him.

"Mister Parker? Are you alright?" The teacher asked, concern clear on her face.

He raised his eyebrows but then he realized he was still holding the tissues to his nose.

"Yes.I'm fine. Just took a fall," He smiled.

She didn't look convinced exactly but began class anyways. He was thankful when the attention was off him.

~~~*

He sat down next to Gwen at what he had claimed as their own table, she was deeply absorbed in a book. He watched her turn pages with one hand and eat a sandwich with the other, her eyes never leaving the page.

"Hey Gwen," He said, picking up his own sandwich and munching on it.

"Hey," She replied distracted.

"You still coming for dinner tonight?" He asked. "I still have to ask my parents if they mind. I didn't get a chance last night. Too busy hanging out with Harry."

Gwen marked her spot and looked up. "Yes! Of course i'm still coming. Who's Harry?"

Peter realized he hadn't actually told her who his 'friend-since-they-were-little' was.

"Harry's my friend. You know the one who picked me up the other day?"

Gwen looked surprised, and then suspicious. "Wait....friends since you were little...dad's worked together....Holy crap! Peter, is your friend Harry-" She glanced around at the tables around them and leaned in closer,"-Osborn?"

Peter nodded. "That would be him."

"Wow. No wonder you looked peeved the other day when you saw him and MJ out together."

"Yeah. He didn't tell me he had a date when he ran out on me."

Gwen's face turned sad. "I'm sorry, Peter."

She didn't say anything else on the topic and Peter was left confused about what she had apologized for.

~~*

When Peter arrived home he went and put his things in his room and then went to find one or both of his parents. First he looked in the kitchen, knowing that his Pop liked to be there baking or cooking a new dish. The kitchen was empty, so he went to go check the labs. It was also empty, which was surprising. He decided to check the practice room next. Someone could always be found in there sparring.

He opened the door slowly so he didn't surprise anybody, and found that all the Avengers were sitting on the benches lining the walls watching as Natasha and his Pop fought.

He sat down beside Bruce and leaned towards him so he could hear over the cheering around him. "Who's winning?"

"Nat. She's pinned him four times already," The dark haired man said. They flinched as Natasha brought down his Pop again, smiling and tapping his nose as she stepped back to let him stand.

"Damn," Peter said, "He's really off today."

Usually Steve could win at least once, but it didn't look like he was gonna be taking down Natasha anytime soon.

Peter looked up down the bench and got up, running until he was next to his dad. He squatted next to him and his dad looked over at him.

"Hey Petey. What's up?"

"Is it okay if I have a friend over for dinner?" He asks.

"Harry?" His dad asked with his eyebrows lifted. "You don't usually ask if Harry can come to dinner."

"No it's not Harry. It's my friend Gwen."

"Gwen huh?" He waggles his eyebrows making Peter blush. "Sure. I don't see why not. Does she know-?"

"It's not like that. And yes, I told her," Peter replied. He willed his blush to go away. Sure Gwen was rather pretty and sweet, but Peter didn't feel that way about her. At least not anymore. He'd realized that around the time they became good friends.

"Alright. Dinner's at six."

Peter nodded and stood, leaving the practice room as Natasha pinned his Pop again. The red-head was on a roll it seemed.

He text Gwen real quick to tell her he would meet her down in the lobby of the tower, and then escort her up. She wouldn't be able to get by security otherwise. Or Jarvis for that matter.

~~*

At five forty he was standing down in the lobby, looking causal--as much as one could while being pushed by annoyed employees ready to leave for the day-- as he leaned against a wall. People kept scowling and glaring at them, sneering. Peter ignored them. He couldn't exactly judge his future employees for watching him like that. He _did_  look suspicious.

He finally spotted Gwen and he shouted her name, watching her look around before she spotted him.

She fast walked over to him and smiled. "This place is cool."

Peter looked up at the high ceilings of the lobby and agreed. "It is pretty cool. But the view from upstairs is cooler. Come on," He said, tugging her over to a restricted hallway. He entered in a code, and the doors slid open.

The elevator deposited them off on the fiftieth floor, and they hopped into another elevator. The higher you went in the tower the more access was restricted. That elevator dropped them off on the eighty-eighth floor--where the business areas ended and living spaces began-- and they hopped into a private elevator. Peter pressed the numbers for the team's communal area, where they usually all ate dinner.

"Do you have to do that every time?" Gwen asked.

"Nah. Most the time I come up from the parking garage. No one sees me that way."

"Ah," Gwen hummed stepping out of the elevator behind Peter.

He could hear shouting from the kitchen already and he edged forward slowly, keeping Gwen cautiously behind him. He peeked his head around the corner, finding most of the team in the kitchen. He stepped into the doorway so he could be seen, though everyone probably knew he was there and that he had someone with him.

"Hey guys, I have a new friend for you to meet," He said, trying to contain his nervousness. Hopefully they all like Gwen.

The room went quiet and they all stopped talking, waiting for Peter. He grinned at Gwen and then pulled her in front of him. "Everyone this is Gwen. Gwen this is my family," He said, introducing them.

The team waved and he saw his pop stand up from his spot along the counter.

"Hi, I'm Steve, Peter's pop," He grinned, and held out a hand for Gwen to shake.

"Gwen. Nice to meet you," She said, accepting the handshake.

That brought about everyone walking around and shaking her hand as they introduced themselves.

"I'm Tony. Though you probably knew that," His dad introduced himself.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Way to sound totally not narcissistic."

"What? It's true. Unlike you, my face is everywhere. Yours will be too when you take over," Tony said, grinning.

Peter rolled his eyes again. He brought Gwen over to stand next to Bruce and suddenly they were talking about science. And then Peter was roped in, which led to his dad walking over. They were all huddled up and talking, with Natasha giving input here and there, and everyone else was having their own conversations ignoring them. Finally Steve called them to help set the table, Gwen and Peter taking care of dishes and silverware, while everyone else carried the food to the table.

They sat down to eat, and Gwen was smiling at Peter the entire time, and Peter was sure she was enjoying herself. Everyone ate their fill and the dinner conversation continued on, never settling into a lull, or boring. Peter could tell Gwen was relaxing more and more, and it made him relax too, happy that everyone was getting along.

Gwen was telling his Pop about herself--what she liked to do with her free time, what classes she was in, about her family-- and Pop was looking charmed.

When Gwen looked at the time and said she should probably be heading home all the Avengers stood up and hugged her. When Peter said he would go with her, not wanting her to have to travel alone, his Pop tugged him back by his shirt collar before he got in the elevator.

"She's a nice girl, Peter. I think she'd be good for you."

Peter laughed nervously and shook his head. "It's really not like that. I don't like her that way. And she doesn't like me that way," He said.

His Pop smiled and wandered off, obviously ignoring him. He got in the elevator still frowning at his Pop's reaction.

Gwen grinned at him. "They're nice. I had a great time."

"Good," Peter said, grinning back at her. Though some of his inner turmoil must have shown on his face because Gwen raised her brows at him.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just...my Pop thinks I have a crush on you."

"Oh," Gwen said after a moment, "He's wrong. You don't have a crush on me. And no offense Peter, but I don't have a crush on you either."

"Yeah. Wait, how do you know I don't?" Peter sputtered.

Gwen patted his shoulder and sighed. "You'll figure it out soon."

Peter stared after her in confusion when the doors slid open and she walked out, already heading for the street to catch a cab.

He regained his senses and ran out after her shouting, "Hey! What do you mean by that!"

~~*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Peter made sure Gwen got into her apartment building alright, and then started his way back to the tower. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, reading the text.

**Harry- 8:52 PM**

**'My sort of girlfriend broke up with me. You up to chill tomorrow?'**

Peter felt almost relieved at the news. _At least my secret won't be accidentally outed now._  That was what he told himself, when he felt guilty about the relief.

**'Sure. You mean Mary Jane? What happened?'**

 

**Harry- 8:54 PM**

**'She said she didn't think we fit that well and implied that I was in someone else.'**

 

Peter hummed thoughtfully. _I wonder who she meant? Who does Harry have in mind?_

**'That sucks dude. And sure we can hang out tomorrow. Still have detention though.'**

Peter smiled when Harry's reply was a sad face, followed by an 'Alright'. He just knew that wherever Harry was he was frowning down at his phone, that little crinkle he got between his eyebrows that he got when something didn't exactly go his way.

~~*

The next day at school Peter tried his best to forget that Flash would be back today, though it was made hard when the boy himself pushed Peter up against a couple of lockers as soon as he walked in the building. He smacked Peter's head back into the lockers, and then ripped the glasses from his face, breaking them in two and throwing them on the ground. He laughed and walked away, his group of cronies following behind him like lap dogs.

 

"Are you kidding me?" Peter asked no one in particular. Really it was directed more at the universe, wondering who's cosmic plan it was for Peter to be shoved around like a pebble on a running track.

"I just got these fixed!" He cried after Flash, though the other boy had disappeared around the corner.

He picked up his glasses, a hard task with his vision fuzzy. Stomping into the office he asked if he could borrow some tape, which they gave to him and he crudely tapped his glasses back together. They certainly weren't comfortable, but at least he could see his own hand.

He grumbled unhappily to his first period, angry at Flash, or the world or anyone really. He stayed annoyed throughout his first hour, and second, and third-basically his whole morning really- so when lunch rolled around and he found Mary Jane Watson sitting at his table, her and Gwen's heads ducked together as they read a paper in front of him he was woefully unprepared.

"Hey Gwen...," He said hesitantly.

Gwen looked up from the paper at him. "What happened to your glasses?"

"Flash," Peter groaned.

Gwen frowned and then started when she realized Mary Jane was staring between them.

"Oh yeah. Mary Jane is gonna sit with us from now on," Gwen said.

The brunet shrugged and drank from his bottle of juice. "Alright."

They all sat eating, but Peter noticed the looks Mary Jane kept shooting between Gwen and himself.

"So are you two like...dating?" She asked.

Both their eyes widened and they shook their heads. Gwen held up her hands, pointing back and forth between them. "No, we are not. Right Peter?"

"No!" Peter shouted.

"Oh. Okay. It's just...I can swear I saw the two of you at a movie together last week,"

"I mean that was us, but it was totally platonic!" Gwen said.

"Yeah. Totally. We're just friends."

Mary Jane nodded, then looked down at her food. "It's just you guys were sitting in front of my date and I, and I couldn't help but notice you two looked really comfortable being with each other. I was kind of wishing I had a relationship like you two do," She said.

"Oh. You were there with Harry Osborn weren't you?" Gwen asked. "Seemed like you guys were getting along pretty well."

"I mean we were...but every time I was around him, it was like his mind was somewhere else. He was always zoning out, and when he kept getting these texts from his friends and smiling at them and I realized that I hadn't ever made him smile like that and-Well...I broke up with him last night," She said, twisting her napkin.

Gwen looked back at Peter, her eyebrows raised. He nodded at her, and shrugged. Gwen's face saddened and she hugged Mary Jane to her.

"I'm sorry Mary Jane," Peter said.

The red-head sniffed but shrugged. "It's okay. You can call me MJ by the way Peter. I won't mind."

He agreed. Gwen was still hugging MJ to her. They looked comfortable, both of them rocking back and forth. Peter pushed his food around on his plate, and wondered if he would have to do the same thing with Harry later.

~~~*

Harry was laying on his bed again when he arrived home.

"I've got to change my lock. How do you even get up here?" He asked, throwing his backpack on the floor.

Harry smirked. "Your family likes me."

Peter rolled his eyes and settled, staring at the ceiling of his room.

"Mary Jane sat with me and Gwen today."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. She seemed upset about the break up," Peter said. He was trying to gauge Harry's reaction to find out if he was as upset as MJ.

"She broke up with me."

"She said you didn't seemed all that interested. And she told you when she broke up with you that you obviously liked someone else."

"Yeah well...I don't," Harry answered. He had the little crinkle between his eyebrows.

"Then why did she think you did?" Peter asked.

"I don't know Peter! Maybe she's just really clingy and angry I didn't spend every waking minute with her! Not to mention that anytime we went out we got attacked by paparazzi which made her nervous! She just wasn't my type alright!" Harry snapped.

Peter shrank back from his outburst. Harry didn't get angry often but when he did Peter tried to avoid him at all costs.

"Okay."

Harry was glaring at Peter, but with that word his body slumped forwards, his head resting on Peter's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I yelled," He whispered.

"It's fine."

He felt each breath Harry took against his neck, the warm tickling with the slight chill in his room. The brunet wrapped his arm around Harry and rubbed it up and down his back, feeling Harry un-tense slowly.

So while he didn't have to comfort a teary-eyed Harry Osborn, he still had to comfort an otherwise upset Harry. Not that he minded. Harry was his best friend and he didn't' want the other boy to suffer in silence.

~~~*

One of their phones was ringing and vibrating, though with them pressed up against each other so tight he wasn't sure whose. He dug round in his own pocket but realized it wasn't his. He poked Harry's side. The other boy opened one eye and looked at him.

"Harry your phone is going off."

"Then grab it for me," Harry said haughtily.

Peter tapped his hands against Harry's right jacket pocket, and then his left.

"Where is it?"

"Front right pocket," Harry huffed. He closed his eyes and waited for Peter to hand him his phone.

Peter reached across the blond's lap and grabbed his phone, holding it up to see the caller ID. "It's your dad," He said.

Harry shot up and took the phone, pressing it to his ear and turning away from Peter. "Hello."

He couldn't see his face, but he could hear a slight shouting over the phone. Norman didn't sound happy.

"I'm at Peter's. Yes sir. I'll be home then," He said. He heard the call cut and Harry dropped the phone down on the bed. He rubbed his face and sighed.

"What's up?"

"He's angry because i'm not home. He's having a colleague over for dinner. Some person he wants to introduce me to. Probably has pretty blonde daughter," Harry huffed. He sounded angry again.

"Oh. You gotta go then?"

"Yeah soon, even though I don't wanna," He replied, grumpy. His forehead crinkle was back and Peter smoothed it away when he flopped across him. Peter grunted and huffed.

"Sorry dude," He said, patting the blond's hair.

Harry huffed and said something, though Peter couldn't hear it with his face squished into Peter's stomach.

 

~~*

Harry had reluctantly left, groaning the whole way ("Off to face my doom!" ("You're being overly dramatic, Har.")) and whining about how didn't wanna go and maybe he could just hide out in Peter's room. Peter shot down that idea, and sent the other boy home. That earned him Harry texting him the whole night, whinging about the dinner. He said the girl across from him had her boobs up around her throat and it looked like she was in pain the whole time, but not near as much pain as he was in. Really he just wanted to gripe, and Peter let it slide, if only because he knew Harry was still upset about his break up.

Peter crawled into bed, exhausted from the day and was asleep immediately.

~*

Peter was nearly late for school the next day after waking up late. He had Happy drive him to school--almost the entire way this time-- and made it to class barely in time. It seemed to be a reoccurring thing that he couldn't make it to any of his classes on time.

The teacher frowned at him again. He was pretty sure that his teacher thought he had been getting beat up again and that's why she didn't say anything to him about being late. He didn't mind. The less attention the better.

In second period they did group projects and he ended up doing the entire thing by himself despite the other four people in his group, useless as they were. Third period he kept to himself in his little corner, out of the view of everyone. He'd strategically picked this spot as to not garner any unwanted attention. In his fourth period everyone was chatty, and the teacher was having trouble coraling them to do their work. Sometime right before the class ended, he received a text from Harry, that held a link. He clicked it, and waited for the article to load. Peter scrolled down to skim it when the bell rang. He put his phone in his pocket and forgot about it, at least until he was standing in the cafeteria line.

Even the students in the cafeteria were acting overly excited and though he couldn't hear what most were saying, it sounded like gossip. He put in his headphones and plugged them in, turning on his screen. He realized he'd forgotten to read the link he'd been sent, but it seemed like a good time while he waited for his food.

He was jamming to his music and he read the article title. It felt like the world had just dropped out from under his feet and he was left free-falling through a dark void. (Something his dad had done and would certainly not recommend.)

He chewed his lip in thought, wondering what would happen next. It was then he realized he really needed to talk to Gwen as she was the only one who knew his secret other than family.

~~*

Peter stormed into the lunch area, looking around for Gwen. She was sitting with some of the kids from debate team- MJ at her side- and he stormed over. He stopped when he was standing by her and tapped her shoulder, scowl firmly in place. The rest of the table froze mid-conversation, but he didn't care. Not with the anger he felt welling up inside him, ready to burst.

He held his phone down in front of her face, already showing exactly what he'd been angry about.

"Did you say something?" He asked, shifting his footing. He was still practically snarling but he really didn't wanna believe that Gwen would betray his trust so.

She glanced down at the phone and read the title of the article. She looked up at him and began stammering. "Peter I swear I didn't say anything! I wouldn't betray you like that! Or your family!"

Peter scowled and looked around at the other tables, all of which had turned to watch the confrontation. He felt the air, along with the fight leave him.

"I believe you. Will you come with me? I think we need to talk privately," He asked. He knew it sounded like he was begging but he didn't care. He needed a break.

Gwen nodded and grabbed her stuff, following him until they were back in the hallway where he had first told her his secret. She took his phone from him, reading through the whole article as he slid down the wall with his face buried in his knees.

"It's not that bad. They don't know who Tony Stark's child is. It just says 'Stark has son?'. Doesn't say who it is."

"Yep," Peter croaked. "But it's only a matter of time until my face is plastered everywhere. Gwen... I don't wanna be harassed by the paparazzi. There's a reason I've avoided going places with my dad and my best friend for years,"

"Still mad you didn't tell me your best friend was Harry Osborn earlier," Gwen sighed. She slid down the wall next to him and gripped his hand.

"You really haven't been anywhere with your dad?"

"Only if we were sure we wouldn't get ambushed. It's not only about the Paps though. My parents are superheros. They save the world every other week and then come home and watch movies with me. Pop and I used to hang out. Baseball in the park when I was little, but once his face became more widely known again, that stopped too."

"Sounds rough," Gwen commented.

Peter nodded. "It was. Sometimes...sometimes I wish that I had been adopted by someone less famous. But then I remember my family, and Harry, or you, and realize I might have never met any of you then. And then I wouldn't be me."

Gwen grinned and leaned her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his bicep.

"It's gonna be okay Peter. It will all work itself out."

~~~*

When he got home both his parents were waiting in the living room. They both looked saddened and he plopped down in-between them, covering his eyes.

"This is a nightmare."

His pop rubbed his back and pulled him into a hug. "It's gonna be alright Pete."

"Yeah. Though...we will have to upgrade your security. No more subway either. Now that this out it's just short order before they find out who you are," His dad said.

"I know. Will I still be able to attend Midtown?"

"For now. If...When this breaks, you will have to change to a private school. One with a heck of security team or SHIELD agents crawling it. But for now you can continue to go to Midtown," Pop said.

Peter nodded and stood. "I'm gonna go do my homework."

His parents watched him leave, frowning and worried for him.

~~~~~~~~~*

When he came downstairs for breakfast the next morning, Natasha and Clint were dressed in causal clothes, and Clint was twirling a set of keys on his finger.

"Guess who's in charge of your safety?" Clint asked.

"Natasha?" Peter retorted.

"Very funny," Clint rolled his eyes and slid a bowl of cereal over to Peter. "Eat up sunshine. We got shit to do."

Natasha was silently sipping on her coffee and glaring at the table.

"You okay there?" Peter asked.

"Fine," She replied stiffly.

Both of them flanked Peter's sides as they rode down to the parking garage, and though Peter couldn't see them, he was positive each of them had a wide variety of weapons on them.

"Seems kinda silly to enlist you two as protection and then have him drive doesn't?" Peter asked, pointing at Clint. Natasha cracked a smile, and Clint looked offended.

Clint pulled into the parking lot of the school. Peter got out cautiously, glancing around at the students walking into the building, oblivious. He waved to them when he made it to the front of the school. They text him to say they would meet him in the same spot after school.

Everyone was still talking about it. With the way gossip flies around the school he thought they might have moved on a little bit since the day before. The girl that sat in front of him was talking to the girl to his left, and despite Peter trying to ignore them, their conversation drew him in.

"Yeah. I heard that his dad's ashamed of him because he was an accident and that's why no one's ever heard of him," She whispered.

His stomach rolled unpleasantly at that. Of course they were talking about him right in front of him. Though they didn't know that did they? Besides...he wasn't even biologically related to his parents. Peter's real parents had died in plane crash right after he was born, and Tony and Steve had adopted him.

He wasn't an accident. You can't accidently adopt someone. And his dad certainly wasn't ashamed of him. Both his parents made it a point to tell him on the regular how proud they were of him. Peter knew all of this, yet he still feel like someone was poking him with a hot fire poker  and testing his limits.

The teacher got the attention of the class and they began working, so Peter tried to push it all from his mind. When he got a free chance he texted Harry thanking him for the heads up about the article the day before. Harry text him back asking him how he was doing.

 

**-I'm fine. Dad says when they realize who I am, i'll transfer schools probably. Warm up the crowd for me over there won't ya?**

 

Harry didn't text him back the rest of class, but Peter just thought he was busy. He had other things to worry about. His identity was going to be revealed and his life would change forever.

~~~*

Gwen stuck to his side through lunch and their class together, and while that cut off the bullying he was receiving from everywhere--even Flash hadn't made a move to bother him-- it certainly didn't stop anyone from talking about that awful headline.

By now every major news outlet in the country-- probably the world -- was running the story and it was playing on all televisions throughout the school. There would be no escaping this now. He didn't even wanna imagine the damage control that his dad and Pepper and basically everyone was trying to run right now.

His last class and detention seemed to crawl by at snail pace, but he managed to keep his thoughts mostly entertained on anything but what they wanted to be centered on.

At the end of the day he was standing outside, leaning against the wall and waiting for his ride when Flash sauntered up. The boy had been glaring at him all through detention and he was glad he was done with it, while Flash still had three more days.

"Not now Flash. I'm really not in the mood," Peter said. He knew using that tone was just as likely to get his ass kicked but he was tired and he wanted to go home, and maybe cry a little bit.

"Too bad Parker. I've missed teaching you your place for three days," He said snarling,"And I won't put it off any longer today."

The other boy pulled back, fist clenched and began to swing forward. Suddenly Flash was yelping as something thumped the back of his head. He opened his eyes, unaware that he'd even closed them and looked down at the thing Flash was staring at.

"The fuck?" The blond asked, staring around at the vehicles in the parking lot. Peter spotted a window rolled down, and though he could see two people clearly ducked down from inside, Flash wasn't seeing it.

Clint had thrown a bottle at the other boy's head to save Peter a beating. He was pretty thankful that it was the marksman and the assassin who had been sent to protect him suddenly. Without Clint he wouldn't have the pleasure of seeing Flash turn around in a circle as he tried to find the culprit.

"Wow...Seems the school has a poltergeist. I should really be going. Bye Flash, sorry you didn't get a chance to hit me!" Peter shouted, running towards the SUV Clint and Natasha were in. He could hear Flash's footfalls behind him and he jumped towards the vehicle just as the door opened, leaving him just inside with enough time to slam the door as Clint sped off.

"Oh my gosh! That was hilarious you guys. Thanks for the save too," He said, leaning forward in the space between the two front seats.

Natasha was smirking and Clint was smiling. "See? Aren't you glad that it's us picking you up?"

Peter rolled his eyes, knowing the marksman was just digging for compliments but he agreed anyways.

"Fine. I'm very glad it was you two that are assigned to babysit me."

~~~~~~*

Mostly the people in the tower were in good spirits that day despite everything that was going on. They still managed to laugh and have a good time at dinner, even with the threat of Peter's well...unmasking. (That really wasn't funny the first four times you said it Clint. Stop with the superhero puns.)

When he went to bed, curled up under his covers, he realized he hadn't noticed if Harry texted him back or not. He was sad when he found that the other boy still hadn't said anything back, though he tried to rationalize it for himself.

**'Maybe he's just really busy,'**  though even in his head it sounded dumb. No, Harry was mad at him though Peter wasn't sure why.

He sent the other boy a quick text asking if everything was alright, but still didn't get a text back, though the message read sent. His chest felt heavy at the thought that Harry might be ignoring him.

~~~*

Saturdays were a blessing in the form of not having to leave the house. Though Peter did have to leave. He needed to speak to Harry. He still wouldn't text him.

So he got up and dressed, ate a quick breakfast and then had Natasha take him over to Harry's home. The butler that answered the door kept a bored face all through out their conversation, and Peter was happy to get away from him. The man was practically a robot.  
He knocked gently on the door to Harry's room and then waited. No one called so he entered slowly, but found that the other boy was still asleep. He kicked off his shoes and sat on his legs at the end of the bed, waiting. Peter decided just watching the other boy sleep was a little weird, and came to the conclusion he had to wake him up. He grabbed a pillow and stood over the other boy, the pillow raised above his head, and ready to strike.

Harry must have some kind of sense that alerted him to the fact Peter was about to annoy him, because his eyes slid open and he saw Peter above him. He licked his lips to speak right about the time Peter brought pillow down and hit him in the chest with it.

"Ow!" He yelped.

Peter giggled and sat on the bed again, ready to talk. "Oh please, it was a _pillow_  your royal highness. And a soft pillow at that. How do you even sleep on this thing it's so soft!" Peter squished the pillow between his hands and then tossed it at Harry.

"It's comfortable, unlike the rocks you sleep on," He replied.

"How would you know? You sleep on _me_  most the time."

Harry rolled his very blue eyes. "Why are you in my room at - nine thirty - in the morning?"

"Because you didn't answer my texts. I asked if you wanted to do something today," Peter shrugged. He'd gotten good at lying and it was starting to worry him. Although that was true, so really he was still just omitting the truth. Apparently that's where his real strength was.

"Oh. Well i'm busy later but we can hang for a bit," He answered. At this point he was flopped back on his the bed, laid out like a starfish.

"Okay. What do you wanna do?"

Harry leaned up to his elbows and raised one neat eyebrow at him. "You mean you came over at nine in the morning with no plans on what we should do?"

Peter shrugged, looking sheepish.

"Okay, well I had a really late night, and am still exhausted, so how about a power nap?"

Peter crawled up the bed and laid down. "Sounds fine to me."

As soon as he was settled Harry had curled up next to him. He buried his face in Peter's shoulder and they both fell asleep.

~~~*

The second time they both woke up that day, it was noon and their stomachs were growling. "I'll get us food," Harry said, sliding out of bed. Peter watched him walk off, letting his eyes wander over the other boy's pale back. It was dotted in moles, and Peter had the fleeting thought of playing connect the dots with them.

Harry came back, having put a shirt on and declared food would be up soon, and then he flopped back on the bed and curled up under the covers. Only his face was poking out, and his eyes were studying Peter.

"Doing good considering. I've been ignoring the speculating gossip. But good," Peter said.

There was a knock on the door and Harry got up to let some of the house employees set up food. They ate in a comfortable silence, though it was only because they were both in inner turmoil. Lunch was finished and cleaned up and they took a seat on the couch in Harry's small living area. The boy's room was more like a hotel room, minus the mini fridge or kitchenette.

Harry had turned on the television and was leaning back against Peter, and the brunet had his hands resting on Harry's side, tracing idle shapes on his stomach. Every so often he felt Harry shudder when the tickling became too much, because it didn't matter if Harry insisted he wasn't ticklish he _was_  and Peter would always take an opportunity to prove it.

Peter let his eyes fall closed, but he knew Harry had turned to look at him. He felt the boy's icy stare on him and cracked one eye open. The blond looked like he was debating something, and then he leaned towards Peter and softly, almost so light he didn't feel it, he pressed their lips together. He drew back a bit and then pressed forward again, a tad harder, so their mouths actually connected. He drew back after a second, his blue eyes wide and searching.

His stomach felt like it was in his throat and his heart felt like it was in his ass, and he needed to go _now_  because his best friend had just kissed him, and completely pulled the rug from under his feet. He shakily got up, but Harry stayed laying down, watching as Peter slid on his shoes and left.

Once Peter was downstairs and out the door and walking back to the tower-- despite it's distance from the Osborn mansion-- he registered that he was sad Harry hadn't followed after him.

~~~*

Sunday, Peter didn't hear from Harry. Naturally he assumed they were both avoiding each other, both of them considering it a mistake. They would talk to each other eventually and clear things up; It would blow over and they would go back to the way they were.

They had time to sort things out-- nothing but time once Peter was found out.

Still he couldn't help but mope. His moping involved sitting in bed with a tub of ice cream and watching bad reality television while trying to ignore everything going on in his life at the moment. He dreaded having to wake up in the morning and attend school like nothing was wrong--like his life wasn't falling apart around him. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop and his long kept secret to be revealed. If he was lucky (and if the universe had anything to say about it, Peter Parker was rarely lucky) the news wouldn't blow up until later in the week.

 

~~~*

Natasha and Clint had to physically drag him from his bed, into some clothes and down to the parking garage where they, quite literally, threw him in the car. His hair was sticking up, and his glasses (now newly fixed once again) were perched precariously on his nose. Clint stopped off at a Starbucks and bought him a cup of coffee and a donut, and he nearly cried when he opened the package and found a chocolate donut with sprinkles (his favorite).

"Honestly, I could kiss both of you right now," Peter hummed, chewing his donut. Natasha rolled her eyes but Clint made a slight disgusted face when sprinkles flew out of mouth. Really, he couldn't be bothered to care. He was fighting with his best friend, and the media was on a manhunt for him, so what if his eating habits got a little messy?

They dropped him off in the parking lot and waited until he made it inside un-harassed. He received their text saying they would pick him up after school. He headed for his locker, grabbing the lock before he was being grabbed around the bicep and dragged away. He looked down and realized it was just Gwen, but she was walking like she was determined. Her hair was bouncing wild and her face was slightly flushed as she pulled him up to their empty hallway.

"Hi Gwen. What's wrong?"

She paced and then turned to him, bit her lip and then sighed loudly. "I think...MJ and I went on a date? I mean it was _something_. It sort-of-maybe ended in a kiss?"

"Congrats? What's a sort-of-kiss? Wait never mind, I know exactly how you feel right now."

 

Gwen lifted an eyebrow. "You don't sound that surprised. What do you mean you know how I feel?"

Peter looked down the hallway and played with the sleeves on his jacket. "Um...Harry kissed me? Like one second we were just sitting on his couch watching TV and then suddenly we were kissing?" He said.

"Awh! So are you guys like a thing now? Because can I just say I was waiting for you to tell me," She said.

"A thing? No. Waiting for me tell you what? That Harry and I kissed?"

Gwen's eyes widened. "Oh! I'm sorry Peter I thought you realized."

"Gwen!" Peter whined. It may have been a little unbecoming but she was always so cryptic. "What have I not realized?"

"That you like your best friend? I mean it's obvious. You guys cuddle! And every time you talk about him, you get this far off look in your eyes, like the sun might literally shine out of his ass."

"Lot's of guys cuddle! And I don't like Harry like that," He said. He didn't. They were strictly platonic. Just friends.

Gwen placed her hand on his shoulder and sighed up at him. "Sure, Pete. Now about MJ, what do you think is the best way to ask her out?"

Peter groaned, but let Gwen lead him off with an arm hooked around his elbow.

~~~~*

Peter sent texts to Harry all day, just waiting for some kind of reply. He really needed a reply. He didn't want their friendship to be awkward, he just wanted it to go back to normal. It might be easier to do that if he'd stop thinking about the feeling of Harry's lips on his though. They been soft but slightly chapped, and a pretty red.

He pinched himself and tried to pay attention to the problems the math teacher was explaining up front, but he kept feeling himself slip away. His focus was wanning and he just wanted lunch to roll around. Lucky for him that was next, and Gwen would probably be so busy speaking to MJ to pay attention to him.

As predicted, Gwen and MJ were wrapped up together at their lunch table, but both looked up and chirped a happy, "Hey Peter!"

He couldn't help but smile back at them. They looked so happy and it wasn't in him to bring them down with his mood.

"So...any luck with the 'best friend'?" Gwen asked. She made air quotes when around the best friend part, causing Peter to scowl.

"No. I've been texting him but he's still ignoring me," Peter retorted.

Gwen nodded and leaned her head against MJ's. "That sucks. I bet everything will work itself out Pete."

He smiled sadly down at his food. He felt like he was about to cry, and he couldn't explain why.

~~~*

Sitting in the back of Clint and Natasha's SUV Peter finally felt like he could take a deep breath. Though everything was still going wrong, he felt a little better knowing he was around family and not having to put on a mask.

He didn't feel like talking to anyone, not when his heart felt like it was been ripped out the longer him and Harry didn't speak.

The thing was, they rarely ever fought. Sure they argued, but about little things, like what to eat, or what to watch--but they'd never just stopped talking to one another. He sent Harry another quick text, and pressed his head against the window of the vehicle. Natasha was shooting him looks through the mirrors but he didn't care. He would be as mopey as he wanted until everything was okay again.

~~*

He'd convinced his parents he was sick, and though he knew they didn't believe him--again he never got away with things-- they let him stay home on Tuesday anyways. And since he was home with nothing to do, and no one to speak to, he laid in bed feeling sorry for himself.

He wondered if Harry was missing him this much too. If he missed Peter's quirks as much as Peter missed his. Like the way Harry had the uncanny ability to make pajama's and bedhead look like he had just walked out of Vogue. Or the way that Harry would make references to movies--including quoting Mean Girls down to the exact line. He missed Harry curling up next to him while they sat in companionable silence. He just...really missed Harry.

Peter groaned and curled into a ball, laying on his side, the covers pulled over his face. His bedroom door opened and then suddenly the covers were being ripped off him, and he was faced with Bruce.

"Get dressed. Come on," Bruce said.

Peter stared at the brunet man in shock. "I was using those."

"Get up. Come on. We have somewhere to be."

"What? Whe-" Bruce yanked him up and shoved him into his closet, "-re? What are we doing?"

Bruce shoved a pair of jeans at him and a shirt. "Come on! I said i'd have you there soon."

"Where am I going?!" Peter shouted, stuffing his legs into the pants and his torso into the shirt, though it got stuck on his head momentarily and he hopped around trying to adjust it until Bruce yanked it down.

"Thanks. Now-"

"No time! Grab your shoes and come on!" Bruce barked.

"Okay! Jeesh. I'm coming!" Peter followed Bruce to the elevator and then sat down to put his shoes on, getting to his feet as the doors slid open. Bruce led the way out into the parking garage and Peter was going to ask where he was going when he was suddenly blindfolded, and the sleeves on his shirt were tied together. He flopped around trying to hit whoever it was, but he kept missing, though he could hear them giggling. Clint.

He was picked up and thrown over someone's shoulder, and if the hair tickling his nose was anything to go by, it was Thor.

"Put me down Thor!"

"No can do, Petey," Someone to his left said, and he groaned when he realized it was his dad.

"Are you kidding me? Really guys? Does pop know your doing this?"

"Nope. And if he did he'd be upset with me because he told me to let things work out in their own time. Frankly though, i'm tired of seeing you mope around, and it just happens someone decided you two needed to talk. So, i'll see you later. Have fun!" His dad shouted.

Thor had carried him towards what sounded like an idling car, and then threw him in. He squirmed and rolled around inside, falling to the floor as the vehicle took off.

He felt the blindfold at his eyes being gently tugged away and prepared to headbutt whoever it was. The fabric fell away and he launched himself at the other person, loud battle cry on his lips, when he registered it was Harry.

The blond underneath him blinked bright blue eyes up at him, confused at how they ended up in their current position.

"Harry!" Peter said, scooting back and off. His hands were still tied together and he wiggled them up and down, shaking the sleeves as he tried to rip them apart. Harry laughed and took pity on him, reaching down to untie them. Peter gave him a grateful smile but it only lasted a second as he swatted the other boy.

"You were ignoring me!"

Harry's smile fell and it instantly made Peter feel bad. He gave a sad shrug and looked at his clasped hands.

"I didn't think you'd want to talk to me."

"Har...you're my best friend. I could never stay mad at you," Peter whispered.

When the other boy looked up there were tears shining in his eyes and he threw himself at Peter, and wrapped him up in a hug.

"You will be after I tell you this," He said into Peter's neck.

"My dad is the one that told the media about you. It's his fault. H-he didn't like that we spend so much time together."

Peter swallowed the urge to yell, but just barely. He always knew Norman was an asshole.

"He's also-" Harry took a shuddering breath,"-he's sending me to boarding school in England. I won't be back for two years. I'm sorry about the other day I just realized that it might be my last chance to tell you - and then I went and fucked it up, and I thought you would never want to see me again and then you didn't stop texting me and that made me realize I couldn't leave with you being angry with me- and i'm sorry if you never wanna speak to me again."

Peter's head was spinning. They'd made a gigantic loop and came back around to the Stark Tower parking garage. He pried Harry off him and got out of the car, standing for a moment, before he moved towards the elevator. He heard Harry jump out of the car behind him, heard him calling his name desperately. But Peter needed time to think.

He should have known when each step he took from Harry--Wonderful, amazing, fantastic Harry-- felt like a knife being jabbed into his chest.

~~~*

Despite really not wanting to go to school Wednesday he decided he needed to go anyways. He didn't think he could handle another day of laying in bed all day with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

He'd thought all night, and he still hadn't made breakthrough. Deep down, he knew that Harry was special--had always been really-- but he was still having trouble figuring out if it was because he was /Harry/ or because he was Peter's best friend.

He got his missed work from his first period, though he was only half listening to the teacher explain to him how to do it. He laid his head down on his desk throughout class, and just tried to think about anything other than that Harry apparently liked him, and that he was moving to England, and they might not see each other for a long time, because each time he did it made him feel sick.

Each second that ticked by was simultaneously moving too fast and too slow. Peter felt like he was being dragged behind the Quinjet, just along for the ride as things in his life slowly crashed around him.

"Mr. Parker!" Someone far off shouted. He slowly lifted his head and stared at the teacher in front of him. She was angry and that was when he noticed everyone's eyes were on him. He sat up straight.

"Yes?"

"Pay attention in my class, or I /will/ call your parents."

Peter snorted before he could catch himself. 

Her jaw tightened and she glared at him. He shot her an apologetic look and decided to keep his head up. He put his cheek in his hand and watched her go through several problems. Phones all around the room went off, including his own. He checked it, reading the text from his pop.

**-Story just broke. We'll be there in twenty. Try to survive until then alrighty?-**

Peter's breath hitched and he began throwing all his things into his bag, one hand raising as he did. 

"Mrs. Morgan, I really need to be excused."

The teacher scowled at him, marched towards him ready to reply, when a scream came from across the class. One of the girls had stood and was bouncing, finger raised at Peter.

"It's him! He's Stark's son!" 

Peter closed his eyes and tried not to yell. He stood up, smiled politely at his teacher and left. He could hear chattering coming from the other classrooms so he picked up his pace slightly.

The intercom came on a second later, the scratchy voice of the principal coming through. "Peter Parker if you would please come to the administration office, Peter Parker please come to the administration office."

"Already on it," He mumbled to himself. He entered the office and shuffled over to one of the secretary's desk, waiting for her to get off the phone. She scowled up at him and barked an impatient, "What? Do you need something?"

Peter scowled at the rude secretary but figured she was annoyed because the phones, and here he was having the audacity to bug her while she was busy.

"You can tell them i'm here. Can I go sit in their office?" He asked.

She looked confused for a moment and Peter took a second to dig out his school ID, and hold it down for her to see. She looked up at his face and gulped and nodded, pointing at the Principals office. He smiled and walked over to the door, knocking on it.

"Come in!" Someone shouted, and he walked in. They pointed at a seat and he slumped into it, beginning to impatiently run his hands through his already mussed up hair.

The bell's to change class changed and even through the office and two sets of doors he could hear the students talking loudly. He checked his phone to see what time his parents would arrive around.

The noise in the hallway slowly died away from a dull roar to quiet. Peter let his fall back against the chair listening the _click-clack_ as the principal typed. The clock on her wall was ticking and slowly driving him crazy. He bounced his leg, and then stopped, and then bounced it so more. He checked his phone every few seconds, just staring at he lock screen and not actually looking at the time.

Suddenly there was a screech from outside, and then deep voices. Peter sat up straighter and waited until there was frantic knocking on the door. The principal called for them to come in, and then the secretary that had scowled at him earlier was ushering his dad and pop in. His dad was winked at her and she blushed deep red, and his pop rolled his eyes and lightly shoved Tony in.

Peter stood on shaking legs and moved to another chair in the office, letting his parents take the two in front of the desk.

"Would you gentlemen like anything to drink?"

"We're fine thank you," His pop said.

The woman cleared her throat and nodded. "I presume Peter will be transferring schools?"

"Yes, he will." Tony said, looking over at Peter. He'd slumped down in the chair, and was pouting.

"Okay, well I will have his transcripts sent over, then. If you would like to fill out some paperwork quickly and then you can go and get his things and check him out.

Peter watched them sign paper after paper, slightly bickering back and forth. They'd always done that--disagreed on things that is-- but it was just how they were. Even if they did disagree they'd always projected a solid front for Peter, never seeming to disagree on things that concerned him. They seemed to have worked that out a long time ago: Don't fight in front of Peter.

He was thankful. They were always so in love, and they worked better alongside each other. Natasha had told him how badly they had argued during the Battle of New York but when they returned home to him--back in Malibu with Pepper-- they were smiling, happy and overjoyed to see him.

Peter'd been scared shitless that day. Their regular missions always presented a sort of danger, but when he'd seen his dad just barely come falling from the portal to space Peter had started crying. So had Pepper, and Happy, as they watched the news camera's track his dissent down and Peter kept thinking 'hit the boosters dad, hit them, come on!' and then the Hulk had jumped up and caught him. That was where the reels ended, but he knew from stories that pop had ripped off his mask and kissed the hell outta him after he had came to.

That's when it hit Peter that he would feel like that if Harry left before they got to talk.

He reached for his phone but noticed his parents standing up and he followed them out of the office. "Tony if you sign him out i'll go with him to get his things," His pop said.

Peter led his pop out of the office and to his locker, opening it and pulling out his notebooks and things, jamming them into his backpack. He had three textbooks between his locker and his backpack.

"Think I can get away with giving these back to the teachers really quickly?"

Pop shrugged. "You might have to deal with some screaming crowds," He said.  


"No one's gonna care. I'm me. Most of them have spent the last three years bullying me, so if they think _now_  is a good time to get on my good side they got another thing coming," Peter retorted. He didn't even really believe himself, but it's what he needed to hear right then. That no one would care who he was.

First he went to return his English textbook, knowing that his teacher had a plan period. The teacher stuttered, and mumbled, but that was probably because his pop standing behind him. Next he moved onto History, but he made his pop stay outside. His history teacher had a little bit of an obsession with Captain America and he didn't wanna make his pop uncomfortable with all the memorabilia around her room. It was enough that Peter had to sit next to a comic drawn of his pop in tights, most the year. Shouts were heard around the room and but Peter just handed off his book to his teacher and smiled.

"Bye," He called on his way out.

His dad and his pop were standing outside waiting on him. They all walked quietly towards the math teachers room. He knocked and waited, peeping in the window. The teacher waved him in and accepted the book.

"Thought I'd drop off my textbooks real quick. Goodbye. Sorry about earlier," He said. Everyone inside the room was silent and on his way out he glimpsed the time, noticing the bell for passing was about to ring.

He rushed out into the hallway and latched onto his parents arms. "We have to move now, before you two get crushed by a herd of excited high school students" He exclaimed. They let Peter drag him down around a corner, down some stairs and out into the hallway.

They definitely weren't moving fast enough though. The bell sounded and students began pouring out of the classrooms along the hallway. _'So close.'_  Peter thought. He could see the front door from their position. He kept pulling them along, and while they blended in for a moment, some girl bumped into his pop and glanced up, snarl already on her face, but it fell when caught a good look at them. Peter noticed it was the girl that had tripped him.

"Oh my gosh!" She screeched.

 Peter face-palmed and gripped his parents arms tighter, pushing them through the front doors of the school and down the stairs as most the student body whooshed out after them. Gwen was standing by the door and gave him a sad face. His dad turned and waved at her.

"Hi Gwen! Nice to see you!"

Gwen smiled briefly. Tony and Steve had gotten in the SUV and Peter noticed that Clint and Natasha were in the front. If Bruce was in the trunk Peter might actually have a breakdown at this point. Did they have to bring the whole team?

Peter waved back at Gwen and then jumped in the vehicle. He didn't even feel like laughing at Flash's bewildered face as he realize that he'd been beating up Tony Stark's kid for three years. He couldn't help but stare sadly back at his last view of Midtown high. His dad wrapped him up in a hug.

"Guess you're gonna need a security team. I'll get some agents on it," He said. His pop had wrapped an arm around both of them, and Peter leaned his head back, pretending he wasn't about to cry, and hoping they would ignore the occasional sniffle.

 ~~~~~*

He wouldn't be starting school for another week while control on the situation was being ran. They had to make sure the school was safe for Peter, and that he had a security team following him around. Peter was content to hide in his room until he as knobby old man, but his parents wouldn't let him get away with that.

On Thursday he finally worked up the courage to text Harry and ask when he left. Harry immediately replied, a change to their routine of ignoring one another.

**'I leave tomorrow.'**

 

Peter felt like his heart was being stepped on. He had been doing some deep thinking. Remembering what Gwen had said,  _'you like your best friend.'_  He thought about Harry kissing him, and Harry wrapped around him while they slept, and the first time he met Harry and all the firsts in between now and then. He thought about the anniversaries. of the loved ones they'd lost, and how instead of Harry spending his mother's anniversary with Norman, he'd always been with Peter, and how he always wanted Harry to be with him. How comfortable Harry was around his family as opposed to how stiff and unreal and _not his Harry_  he acted around Norman.

 Peter scrunched his brow. _'His?'_  He rolled onto his side, drudging up more questions than answers. He fell asleep early in the morning, sometime after he'd finally made up his mind. 

~~*

 

/He was late./ His alarm hadn't woken him up and he'd slept until eleven, and hour before Harry was leaving, and he was /late./

He threw on what clothes he could find and ran downstairs as fast as he could, and for this specific day, he needed Natasha to drive him. Natasha drove fast, and got you where you needed to be, and right then he /needed/ to be a the airport.

He barely waited for Natasha to stop the car before he was diving out and making a run for it.

Peter rushed through the airport panting. He just hoped he wasn't too late. He slowed to read the sign above him, stopping when he found the gate he was looking for and sprinting towards it.

People around were shouting at him to slow down but he didn't listen and made it to the area he wanted. Norman had arranged for Harry to take the private jet, and though it was their plane Harry still had to make it on board in time. He slid to a stop as he found the head of blond hair he was looking for--the one he would probably be able to pick out of a crowd if asked-- surrounded by a group of buff bodyguards.

"Harry!" He shouted, smiling and showing all his teeth. He was sure he probably looked crazy, but there was something he needed to say.

The boy spun around and squinted. His face became confused when he spotted Peter.

"Peter?" He asked, stepping out of the protective circle of his guards.

Peter beamed at him and stalked forward, steps sure and confidant. Harry was still obviously confused, and okay--maybe it sort of looked like Peter was gonna punch him, and that's why he looked terrified-- but he started to take a step back at the same time Peter reached him, which wound up with Harry tipped slightly back as Peter kissed him.

Peter tried to put as much emotion into the kiss as possible, making sure Harry knew what he'd been feeling forever, but was too stupid to notice.

When he broke the kiss he watched Harry's face. The other boy was flushed pink, and on his soft skin it lent an air of innocence. His pale eyes opened and Peter smiled, searching them.

"I love you, and it took me ten years to notice, but I do. I think I always have," He whispered between them. He was afraid if he spoke louder the air around them would dissipate. "You've always been right here."

 

 Harry swallowed and tightened his hold on Peter minutely. "Really?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry I've been such a-"

"-An asshole? A dick?" Harry suggested. The brunet nodded shyly. "It's okay," Harry said.

"No!" Peter exclaimed, "It's not! I was a jerk. But... I'm the jerk who loves you."

Harry kissed him softly and then pulled away. "This is really cliche you know. I'm getting on a plane to England, and here you are telling me you love me."

 

 "I know, but I couldn't let you leave without you knowing how I feel."

"For the record, I love you too."

Peter beamed. He might have been the happiest person in the world right then.

"-But...are you willing to wait?"

Oh yeah. Boarding school. England. There was ocean in between New York and there.

"I...Yes. I'd wait for you forever Har,"

He was tackled by Harry, and they kissed again. Someone grunted and they looked up at one of the security guards who was tapping his watch.

"Sorry to interrupt Mr. Osborn but you have a flight to catch," He said gruffly.

Harry stood and dusted himself off offering Peter a hand up. "I'll text you."

"I'll text you back," He said, leaning into kiss his--boyfriend? (he could get used to that title)-- one last time.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~**

EPILOGUE

Peter tapped his foot against the floor and checked his phone for the thirtieth time. _'_ _He should have landed already.'_

Just then he saw neatly styled blond hair, and he followed it with his eyes. Being tall had it's advantages, and he'd certainly shot up in the time since he'd last seen his boyfriend.

"Peter!"

He held out his arms just in time to catch an armful of one Harry Osborn. He was kissed sweetly, making his head spin.

"I'm so glad you're back," He panted once the kiss was broke.

"I am too. I'm glad we're going to the same college."

"I'm glad we're _living together_ ," Peter retorted. He set Harry on the ground and looked down at him. There wasn't too much of a height difference since they'd last seen each other--only two or so inches.

"Come on, car's waiting," Peter led Harry from the airport, outside in the parking lot they were hounded by the paparazzi, flashes going off around them until they got inside the car.

The car deposited them off at their new apartment building, not far from the university they were both attending. Gwen and MJ lived two down the hall from them, and Peter had been hanging out with them a lot. They didn't loose touch once he changed schools, if anything they became closer, though it was hard for them to be seen out together.

The nice thing about their apartment was that it was fifteen minutes away from the Tower, so they could all go and visit easily.

Peter threw Harry's things in the bedroom--their bedroom-- and then they flopped on the couch, and drew each other close. "You know, i'm almost glad your dad disliked me so much, because otherwise we might have never gotten together."

Harry smacked his chest and buried his face deeper down in the brunet's neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come check out my [tumblr](http://tealshirt.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Come follow my [tumblr](http://tealshirt.tumblr.com/) !


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